GMC FOOTBALL Borden analyzes Spotswood at Metuchen game

Saturday Afternoon Coach's Corner

The build up all week of the Home News Tribune GMC Football Game of the Week did not disappoint as the Spotswood Chargers defeated the Metuchen Bulldogs 10-6 on Senior Day to win the Blue Division Championship for the 1^st time since 2000.

For nearly 4 quarters an undersized but extremely hard-hitting and aggressive Charger defense kept the Bulldogs out of the end zone. They harassed the quarterback, stuffed the run and used big plays to stymie the Metuchen offense. It wasn't until the Bulldogs inserted back-up quarterback Jake Lebovits late in the 4th quarter, and his subsequent 53-yard touchdown toss to WR Tyler Valovcin at the 3:27 mark, that the home team looked to make a game of it.

Spotswood controlled the game with its diminutive RB Chase Fee who refused to go down by a single would-be tackler and their outstanding kicking game led by Punter/Placekicker Conner McCloskey. McCloskey's late 4^th quarter punt pinned the Bulldogs down to their own 9-yard line with less than 2 minutes to go in the contest. It was Spotswood OLB Mason White's sideline interception with a little more than a minute in the game that allowed the Chargers to take a knee and secure the victory.

Spotswood opened the scoring on a 4^th down and 9 waggle pass from QB Ryan Smolin to FB Ryan Long for a 24-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 27 seconds remaining in the 1^st quarter. McCloskey's 25-yard FG with 7:01 in the 2^nd quarter would extend the Chargers lead to 10-0. The Bulldog offense would continue to sputter as Spotswood dominated the Metuchen offense by swarming to the ball, and by even calling out the offensive plays as they were about to unfold.

Metuchen QB Trevor Firgau would get something going late in the 2^nd quarter as the Bulldogs passed their way down to the Spotswood 9-yard line with about 39 seconds before the half. Metuchen would align with doubles right and left and then motion the right slot to trips left. The receiver then tried to drag back across the formation. Spotswood inside LB Jake Bachetti would under cut the route and intercept Firgua's pass before the goal line thwarting any Bulldog attempt at scoring before the half.

Metuchen would start the second half going three and out on its first series. Spotswood would have a Fee first down run negated by a holding penalty and be forced to punt too. The Bulldogs would be the beneficiaries of three 15-yard penalties on 3^rd and long setting them up on the Spotswood 26-yard line. They would fumble the ball back to the Chargers on the 23-yard line. Fee would gain 4 on the last play of the 3^rd quarter.

Metuchen's defense would step up and force the Chargers to punt. Firgua would complete a 36-yard crossing route to WR Evan Collier down to the Spotswood 36-yard line. After two quarterback runs, Metuchen's Firgau looked to complete a pass to Collier down to the 10-yard line. An illegal lineman down field penalty negated the completion and moved the ball back to the 36-yard line. On the very next play Firgau launched a bomb down the middle of the field to WR Josh Hall that was tipped by DB Mat Torres into the waiting arms of FS Chase Fee at the 6:00 minute mark of the 4^th quarter.

Spotswood would go three and out and be forced to punt setting the stage for Lebovits' substitution at quarterback at the 3:27 mark of the 4^th quarter. After the Bulldogs scoring strike to Valovcin, they missed the extra point forcing them to score a touchdown to win the game. The ensuing onside kick attempt went out of bounds setting the Chargers up on their 45-yard line. Fee would run the ball like he had an "S" on his jersey instead of the #7. His ability to run past you, through you or underneath you would enable the Chargers to move the sticks and force the Bulldogs to use all their remaining time outs. McCloskey's subsequent angled punt to the 9-yard line would set up the final Charger heroics by Mason White's toe-tapping sideline interception in front of the Metuchen Bulldog bench.

On a brisk late autumn afternoon in the confines of the pristine Metuchen Township High School campus, the gritty, hardnosed Chargers of Spotswood won the battle of the Black & Blue Division snaring its coveted top spot.